Prayer and Blessings, Prayer and Religious Articles

The Power of Prayer

Question

Who determines who is righteous? If only God determines this, then will there ever be anybody who will fall in this category? Is there anybody who is completely righteous?

Let’s say there are people like this, which prayers are heard? Which prayers are reasonable to ask of God? If I ask for a great birthday present, is this reasonable? If I ask to be cured of my tendonitis is this reasonable?

Answer

We believe that God, indeed, does judge us, as we see in the Mishna (Rosh Hashana, 1; 2) “all the world passes before Him (in judgment) like sheep brought through a narrow gate as it says (Psalms 33; 16) ‘the One who formed their hearts as one knows all their actions’”. However, He doesn’t judge according to His impossibly high standards, but against the real potential of flesh and blood human beings. Therefore, it is within the grasp of every single human being to become righteous – and more than that: becoming thus is a most pleasant experience – if we only will it for ourselves (and are willing to work hard).

Is anyone completely righteous? On the one hand, we are taught “there’s no righteous man on earth who does only good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). On the other hand, we are also told (Proverbs 24:16) that “a righteous man will fall seven times and (nevertheless) rise again” – from which it seems that a person can fall and, yet, still be considered righteous (assuming he gets up again). It seems that, being human, we’re not expected to be absolutely perfect, but to actively and intelligently engage in the struggle.

All prayers are heard. We are told (Psalms 145; 18) that “God is close to those that call Him.” Of course, not all requests are granted as that would make the petitioner a god and God his slave! Rather, God knows our needs and best interests (even without our asking) and grants what will serve us best.

Why, then, should we pray at all? For many reasons, but among them is the idea that prayer deepens our understanding of how dependent we truly are on God, how much we are in His debt and how whole-heartedly we should serve Him. In addition, the text of the Siddur is a marvelous lesson in the ideal Godly life. “Study” the words of the Siddur from time to time rather than praying them!

I hope this is of some help in your important search. These ideas do deserve more attention than I’ve given them, but, perhaps you might want to ask further questions. In any case, I wish you the very greatest success in your journey.

Thank you for your response. With regard to praising God in our prayers, I understand that prayer will put us in the frame of mind to understand our place in the world. I still would like to hear what you have to say regarding what I can reasonable pray for in the “asking” part of prayer. If God already knows what I need, then why should I ask? Also, is it right to ask, when maybe I was already given everything when the sperm and egg met. Basically, why am I asking for things that might already be there (each person’s potential)? On the same subject, why would my prayer change someone’s health or change a political situation?

There are a few reasons why we should still ask for our needs even though God already knows. One is to drive home to ourselves the lesson that He is, indeed, the source of all our sustenance and pleasure. We are helpless without Him.

Another is because praying, by changing ourselves for the better, can actually change our status in His eyes. We are taught (Talmud Rosh Hashana 16a) that everything to come in the coming year is decided on Rosh Hashana (with the exception of what we spend on festivals and our children’s Torah education). Why, then, asks the Talmud, should we bother praying during the year? Because a significantly intense and heartfelt prayer “and outpouring of prayer” can help even after a published decree. Or, in other words, the effect such a sincere prayer can have on the one praying can elevate his spiritual position so much as to allow a whole new Divine judgment.

Based on this, it would seem that praying for anything at all can spark inner growth (and thereby, bring about Divine favor). However, I agree it’s true that some things do seem too trivial to request of God. Perhaps, we can watch our changing attitude in order to monitor
just which things feel too trivial; using it as a barometer of how we’re growing spiritually (if I’m no longer interested in that electric train set, I’m “growing up”).

One more thought: everything in God’s world hangs in a grand balance. If a human court imprisons a criminal, his family and friends are indirectly punished unfairly (through the absence of their husband, father etc.,). When God punishes, however, we believe that it is
completely perfect. Someone wouldn’t become ill (or would quickly recover) if the level of his friends’ emotional suffering exceeds that deemed by God as deserved. Therefore, if I feel deeply the pain of my ill friend – and express it through intense prayer – I might well spark his recovery simply because that level of indirect suffering isn’t meant to be my share right now. The same can apply to political situations and wars.

With regards,
Rabbi Boruch Clinton
Ottawa, Canada

Follow-up question

Question

I understand in the necessity of davening, but some years back I recall hearing someone say that everything you need to complete your mission in this life is already given to you. Ever since I heard that saying I have always struggled to ask G-d for things since I assumed that anything extra would be a surplus which would ultimately affect the path to which I meant to be going, almost like a bump in the road.

Secondly, I was unsure of how often or how long one must ask for something which is deemed important to that person. When must one stop asking for something or when one must one understand that it is not meant to be possessed by that person?

Answer

Have all our legitimate needs already been given to us? Isn’t it obvious that there are things we really need but might not yet have (like the money to cover next week’s mortgage and the warmth of family for a single person)? Perhaps what was meant by the thought you heard was that our legitimate needs are within our reach, while extras – luxuries – are kept further off and perhaps provided to our detriment. . .and only if we insist.

But what does it mean that our basic needs are within our grasp? Perhaps it’s not that they will all automatically come without effort or prayer, but that we can access them without shame or guilt. Indeed, however, perhaps there are times when God waits to see how we ask for them before delivering. And, perhaps, for those times, davening is
worthwhile even in it’s most straightforward sense.

When to stop davening for something? That’s a difficult question. I’m not sure, but I will suggest that one need never stop davening. King Chizkiya – faced with grave illness and God’s anger, nevertheless (according to the Gemara) told the prophet Yeshaya that he had a tradition from his ancestor, David, never to abandon hope in God’s salvation. That didn’t mean that salvation was guaranteed, but that it was always possible no matter how bleak the situation and how unlikely was it’s happy resolution.

I suppose we should be realistic in the way we plan our lives, but endlessly optimistic about the power and kindness of God.